It's such a beautiful night. I glance out at the moon and stars again.
It's so clear tonight. The moon is full, there isn't a cloud in the winter
sky, and it seems like the stars are brighter than ever. I smile and pet
Arcane, my Growlithe, then return to my book.
I love nights like this. Both my parents are out at a business meeting, so Arcane and I get the house to ourselves. We just sit together in the big, red, plush rocker, him dozing contentedly while I read a new book on Arcanines.
Of all the Pokémon I love, I hold Arcanine as the most dear. They're just so strong, so swift, so beautiful. Since the first grade, I've read every Arcanine book I could get my hands on. I now know more about them than any teacher at my school.
"Grow-lithe," a puppy's voice says beside me. I look down at Arcane, who is watching me with loving brown eyes. I can see myself reflected in those eyes, everything from my beige-blonde hair to my own deep brown eyes. I reach out and scratch Arcane behind the ears. He likes it right back there.
What…! Someone's at the door! But who could it be at this hour? It's almost ten o'clock! I don't think solicitors would be out at this hour…but that's probably it. I go back to my book.
What in the world!? Then knocking has almost turned into a pounding!
What if something happened to a neighbor, and someone's trying to get to a phone? Even worse, what if something happened to my parents!? I don't know yet, but I'll go to find out!
"Arcane, stay," I command. He lays his head down in submissive consent. I stand and walk out of the room.
I slink down the hall, 'as stealthily as a Persian,' as my mother puts it. I can see the door at the end of the hall…the insistent knocking can't drown out the pounding of my own heart, or the sound of my heavy breathing.
I reach the door and stand on tiptoes to see through the peephole. What? The three men out there…they look like my parents' business partners!
Oh, I hope nothing's wrong! Hastily I unlock the door and throw it open. The men don't seem surprised at all.
"Are Mom and Dad okay!?" I ask. Oh, I hope they are!
"Your parents are fine, Cayla," the lead man says. "But we need you to come with us."
There's something strange about these men…
"I'm sorry, but I can't," I say as I start to close the door. I see a hand catch the door, then watch helplessly as it is pushed open again.
"I'm afraid we must insist," the man says. I see the other two men come in behind him and move to the sides…
"Let me go!" One of them just grabbed my arms and pinned them behind my back!
"Oh, you'll be a perfect specimen," the lead man says, pulling a cloth out of his jacket pocket along with a bottle of liquid.
"Leave me ALONE!!" I know that the bottle holds chloroform. I can smell it now that he's opened the bottle. He pours it onto the cloth…
I have to get free! I start struggling and kicking with all my strength.
"Restrain her!" the lead man shouts. Suddenly I can't move my legs, either. I look down and see the other man holding my legs. As I look up again I feel a rag pushed against my face. I inhale…the chloroform! I have to hold my breath! But already my lungs burn since I didn't get a good breath before the cloth was pressed up against my nose and mouth.
I can't hold out any longer! I let out the breath and take another deep one, again inhaling the noxious fumes…the world starts to spin…it's all blurred…my eyes are closing…everything is so jumbled…I hear barking, then a yelp of pain as a gun goes off…ARCANE!! I force my eyes open and see my Growlithe laying on the floor, eyes glassy, a pool of blood around him…a hole in his head. My eyes close again…I'll welcome the darkness now…
I love nights like this. Both my parents are out at a business meeting, so Arcane and I get the house to ourselves. We just sit together in the big, red, plush rocker, him dozing contentedly while I read a new book on Arcanines.
Of all the Pokémon I love, I hold Arcanine as the most dear. They're just so strong, so swift, so beautiful. Since the first grade, I've read every Arcanine book I could get my hands on. I now know more about them than any teacher at my school.
"Grow-lithe," a puppy's voice says beside me. I look down at Arcane, who is watching me with loving brown eyes. I can see myself reflected in those eyes, everything from my beige-blonde hair to my own deep brown eyes. I reach out and scratch Arcane behind the ears. He likes it right back there.
What…! Someone's at the door! But who could it be at this hour? It's almost ten o'clock! I don't think solicitors would be out at this hour…but that's probably it. I go back to my book.
What in the world!? Then knocking has almost turned into a pounding!
What if something happened to a neighbor, and someone's trying to get to a phone? Even worse, what if something happened to my parents!? I don't know yet, but I'll go to find out!
"Arcane, stay," I command. He lays his head down in submissive consent. I stand and walk out of the room.
I slink down the hall, 'as stealthily as a Persian,' as my mother puts it. I can see the door at the end of the hall…the insistent knocking can't drown out the pounding of my own heart, or the sound of my heavy breathing.
I reach the door and stand on tiptoes to see through the peephole. What? The three men out there…they look like my parents' business partners!
Oh, I hope nothing's wrong! Hastily I unlock the door and throw it open. The men don't seem surprised at all.
"Are Mom and Dad okay!?" I ask. Oh, I hope they are!
"Your parents are fine, Cayla," the lead man says. "But we need you to come with us."
There's something strange about these men…
"I'm sorry, but I can't," I say as I start to close the door. I see a hand catch the door, then watch helplessly as it is pushed open again.
"I'm afraid we must insist," the man says. I see the other two men come in behind him and move to the sides…
"Let me go!" One of them just grabbed my arms and pinned them behind my back!
"Oh, you'll be a perfect specimen," the lead man says, pulling a cloth out of his jacket pocket along with a bottle of liquid.
"Leave me ALONE!!" I know that the bottle holds chloroform. I can smell it now that he's opened the bottle. He pours it onto the cloth…
I have to get free! I start struggling and kicking with all my strength.
"Restrain her!" the lead man shouts. Suddenly I can't move my legs, either. I look down and see the other man holding my legs. As I look up again I feel a rag pushed against my face. I inhale…the chloroform! I have to hold my breath! But already my lungs burn since I didn't get a good breath before the cloth was pressed up against my nose and mouth.
I can't hold out any longer! I let out the breath and take another deep one, again inhaling the noxious fumes…the world starts to spin…it's all blurred…my eyes are closing…everything is so jumbled…I hear barking, then a yelp of pain as a gun goes off…ARCANE!! I force my eyes open and see my Growlithe laying on the floor, eyes glassy, a pool of blood around him…a hole in his head. My eyes close again…I'll welcome the darkness now…